Improvement in sewing-machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. T. JONES.

. Sewing Machine. No. 86,163. Patented Jany 26, 1869.

0571166666 fi w Q/ Qd r 1% 5 /W i /M 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. T. JONES.

Sewing Machine. N0. 86,163. Patented Jany 26, 1869.

3 Sheets-Shee't 3.

Patented Jany 26, 1869.

J T JONES Sewing Machine.

WZILGSSBO W /M-e UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

JOHN T. JONES, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. S6,l63, dated January 26, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. JONES, of the city, county, and State of New York, have i11- vented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines; and that the.following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification of my said invention.

The object of the first improvement is to enable the needle to be adjusted laterally, so that, although the shanks of needles vary in size, the side of the needle applied to the machine may be placed in the proper position relatively to the shuttle or other instrumentality that operates in combination with the needle to form the stitch. This improvement consists of the combination of the needle-bar or other needle-carrier with a needle-vise clamp, that holds the needle by clamping it between jaws or plates, and is adjustable upon the needle-bar laterally to the track of the needle, and is secured in the desired lateral position by a clampscrew or its equivalent, which, when slacked, prevents the needleclamp from dropping off the needIeJoar.

The next improvement consists of the combination of the said needle-bar and adjustable needle-vise clamp with an eye-guide for the needle-thread, connected with one of the members of said adjustable needle-vise clamp, so that when the needle-clamp is adjusted laterally to change the position of the needle the eye-guide is moved correspondingly.

The object of the next improvement is to improve the operation of aturning-wire threadtension. These thread-tensions can be constructed at a low cost; but their use so far has been attended with the defects that the tension of the thread is not uniform, the variation being due to the slacking of the thread by the overrunnin g of the spool. Whenever such slacking takes place the friction upon the tension-wire is reduced, and the tension of the thread varies. In order to obviate this difficulty, I have combined the turning-wire thread-tension with a slight-pressure spring,

arranged between the thread-tension and the spool-standard or other support for the spool, so that, however the thread may become slack at the spool, it is always kept in contact with the wire thread-tension by the action of the pressure-spring, and consequently the tension imparted by the turning-wire thread-tension is practically uniform.

The next improvement has reference to the connection of the turning-wire thread-tension with the machine; and consists of the combination of said tension with a spring-bracket, which performs the combined functions of holding the wire thread-tension in its place on the machine and of a friction-brake to keep the said tension from turning on its axis after it has been adjusted to regulate the tension upon the thread.

The next improvement has reference to the movement of the feed-wheel or other instrumentality, to which an intermittent rotary motion is imparted by means of a reciprocating clamp, alternately griping and releasing the rim or hub of said wheel by means of an eccentric or cam. This improvement consists of the combination of a forked clamp embracing the rim or hub of the wheel to be driven and the cam or eccentric for griping the same with a lever-arm secured to said cam or eccentric, so that said lever-arm performs the two functions of turning the cam or eccentric on its axis (to gripe and release the hub of the wheel on which it operates) and of moving the forked clamp to and fro.

The next improvement has for its object the regulation of the extent to which the feeding instrument is moved in a sewing-machine, and consequently the regulation of the length of the stitch sewed. This improvement consists of the combination of the feeding instrument and the shaft that imparts motion to it with an expansible cam, whose projection radially from the said shaft may be varied to change the extent of horizontal movement of the part of the feeding-instrument which is operating upon the cloth.

The next improvement has reference to the means of connecting the bed-plate of a sewing-machine with the table or stand that supports it, and its objectis to permit the hingeconnections between the bed-plate and the said table to be concealed beneath said bedplate when it is in the position for sewing. This part of the invention consists of the combination of the bed-plate of asewingmachine with the table of the support by means of double-centered hinges, which are arranged so asto fold in'the opening of the table beneath the bed-plate, and permit the bed-plate to be moved laterally, as well as to be turned up and down.

In order that the invention may be fully unders'tood, I- will proceed to describe a shuttle sewing machine which embodies all of its parts, andv will refer to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon- Figure 1 being a side view of the said machine, with portions of the wooden stand or table in section and withthe side plate of the needle-arm removed; Fig. 2 being an end view of the machine; Fig. 3 being a transverse section of it; Fig. 4: being a top view of the needle-clamp and its appurtenances, enlarged; Fig. 5 being a section of the belt-pulley on the driving-shaft of the machine; Fig.

6 being a side view of an expanding cam, withthe spring -cam arranged differently from that upon the machine represented in the previous figures; Fig. 7 being a view of the springbracket of the thread-tension and its connections; Fig. 8 being a longitudinal section of the shuttle; Fig. 9 being a top view of part of the bed-plate of the machine, with one of the sliding covers of the shuttle-race partly withdrawn; Fig. 10 being a view of one of the hinge-connections of the bed-plate and stand or table; Figs. 11 to 14 being detached parts of the machine, showing the construction of the shuttle-driver and its connections; and Figs.

15 and 16 being similar views, showing the needle-bar and its connections.

The moving portions of the machine are connected with the bed-plate A, to which the arm B, that holds the needle-bar G and presserfoot D, is secured.

The needle-bar G and stem 01 of the presserfoot D are fitted to slide vertically in the head I; of the needle-arm, and the needle-baris caused to rise and descend by means of a revolving crank-pin, f, which works in the cam-slot of a cam-block, E, that is secured to the needlearm. This cam-slot is of the proper form to impart the required movements to the needle.

The crank-pin f is secured to the drivingshaft F, which is constructed to revolve in bearings in the needle-arm, and is fitted with a fly-wheel, G, and with a pulley, H, that receives the round belt proceeding from the treadle-motion beneath.

The needle operates in connection with a shuttle, I, which is moved to and fro in a shuttle-race, J, formed in the bed-plate of the machine.

The needle-bar is round, that being the form which can be made at the lowest cost; and in order that it may not turn on its axis, the camblock E is so constructed as to perform the two functions of cam-block and slide, while the cap I) of the needle-arm B performs the func-, tion of guide to the needle-bar. To this end the cam-block E is made broad enough to bear upon the edges of the cap I), and the side of the cam-block E adjacent to the cap I) is planed to fit the edges of the latter, so that it slides upon them as a guide, so that it and the needle-bar to which it is secured are thereby prevented from turning. The cap I) is secured to the arm by screws, and may be easily removed and replaced, and the wear of the camblock and needle-bar may be taken up 'by re moving said cap and filing the parts of the arm against which it rests.

The adjustable needle-clamp is arranged at the lo wer end of the needle-bar, which is flattened at one side to receive it. It is formed, by preference, (see Fig. 4,) of two plates, 9 9, one of which, g, is connected to the other by a clamp'screw, a, by means of which the said plates can be caused to approach each other, so as to gripe the shank of the needle between them like the jaws of a vise.

This needle-vise clamp is held in its proper relative position by means of a tongue, 0, that enters a nick in the plate 9, and itis connected with the needle-bar by means of a clamp-screw, a, that passes through a slot in the needlebar, and screws into the clamp-plate 9, that is next the needle-bar. Moreover, the slot in the needle-bar is larger horizontally than the body of the clamp-screw a, so that the needle-clamp can be moved laterally to the needle-bar and transversely to the track of the needle and to the shuttle-race, to adjust the needle to-the path of the shuttle I.

The flattened end of the needle-barhas a sh allow groove formed in it, and a corresponding tongue, 6, is formed upon the adjacent clampplate, 9, to slide horizontally in said groove, and thus preserve the needle-clamp in its proper vertical position relatively to the nee- V dle-bar. The inner clamp g is grooved to receive the shank of the needle, which is made fast in the clamp by tightening the clampscrew to.

The clamp-plate g of the needle-clamp has an eye-guide, '5, formed in it for the needlethread, so that the said eye-guideis adjustable with the needle-clamp, and consequently always preserves its proper relative position to the needle, however it may be adjusted by moving the needle-clamp.

The needle-thread is drawn from a spoolstandard, K, which is erected upon the needlearm of the machine. On its way to the neodle the thread is passed beneath a slight-pressure spring, h, and through a turning-wire thread-tension, L, the thread being preserved in its place relatively to such pressure-spring by an adjacent eye-guide, i, through which the thread is passed.

The wire thread-tension has a tubular eye, in its end, which end is arranged to'turn in a boss or support, j, fixed to the head of the needle-arm.

The thread-tension is held near its upper end by a spring-bracket, lVI, constructed of a steel plate bent into the form of the figure 8, (see Fig. 7,) and received in a socket in the cap b of the needle-arm. The thread-tension is passed through the open eye of this spring- L i r bracket, and the closed eye is received in the socket, which, being slightly smaller in size than the exterior of said eye, causes the two sides of the spring-bracket to make pressure upon the stem of the thread-tension, and to hold it from turning under the strain of the thread. The spring-bracket thus performs the two functions of bracket to hold the threadtension and of friction-brake to prevent its turning.

The pressure-sprin g h is a slight spring, which, bearing with a constantforce upon the thread between the thread-tension and the spool, prevents the thread from slacking upon the thread-tension, and thereby escaping its action however the thread may unwind from the spool.

The shuttle I, as before stated, is constructed to move in a shuttle-race, and itis driven to and fro therein by means of a shuttle-driver, N, which is a species of cradle having horns that partially embrace the rounded side of the shuttle, and also a projecting slide, a, that is received in and guided by a guide-slot, m, formed between the adjacent faces of a projection, ed, at the under side of the bed-plate, and a guide-plate, 10

The shuttle-driver, with its horns and slide, is formed of one piece of metal, so that there is nothing to work loose by the incessant changes of direction in movement to which the shuttle-drivers of shuttle sewingmachines are subjected. This compound shuttle-driver and slide is caused to reciprocate by connecting it by means of a link-bar, k, with an arm, k, that projects from a rock'shaft, P, beneath the bed-plate A, the link-bar being applied at one end to a pivot formed upon the shuttledriver and at the other to a pivot projecting from the hub at the end of the arm H.

The rock-shaft P is supported in suitable bearings, and is caused to rock in correspondence with the movement of the needle by means of a crank, O, in the driving-shaft F, which crank operates upon the rock-shaft through the intervention of a connecting-rod, I, and an arm, k secured to the rock-shaft P.

The shuttle I is provided with a spool to hold the thread, and the thread is conducted from it to the delivery-eye s, to and fro through one or more eyes, 8 s s, so as to give it the requisite tension.

In order that the slacking of the thread on the spool may not afl'ect the tension, a slight spring, 1", is interposed between the tensioneyes and the spool, so that the thread is 0011- stantly pressed with slight force before entering the eye, and can never be slack in the tension-eyes; hence the tension must be practically uniform,

The feed mechanism of the machine is secured to the bed-plate, and consists of a toothed feed-wheel, Q, and the appurtenances by means of which it is moved the required extent, and is prevented from retrograding. The feed-wheel is moved by means of a reciprocating clamp-driver, which gripes the feed-wheel when moving in one direction, and releases it when moving in the opposite direction. This clamp-driver consists of a jawclamp plate, R, and a cam, S, which is operated by a lever-arm, T.

The clamp-plate has two jaws r' T, which partially embrace the hub q of the feed-wheel, and the cam S is arranged at the fork of the jaws in a recess in the jaw-plate, so that when,

by turning, it is caused to bear against the hub the extremities of the jaws r r are drawn against the hub q, and the latter is griped at three points, which are the two extremities r r of the jaws and the side 8 of the cam S in contact with the hub of the feed-wheel.

The cam is moved (to gripe and release the hub) -by moving the lever-arm T up and down, and the same lever-arm is used for imparting motion to the clamp (for the purpose of moving the feed-wheel) from a rocking cam, U, that is secured to and rocks with the rockshaft P, and acts upon a pin, t, projecting from the side of the lever-arm T.

The upward movement of the clamp by the rocking cam U commences the moment the lever-arm has been moved far enough upward to cause the cam S to clamp the hub q. The downward movement of the clamp is effected by a spring, 7L2, which, bearing on the leverarm T, forces it downward as soon as the oscillation of the rocking cam U permits this movement. The first portion of this downward movement turns the griping-cam S sutliciently to relax the pressure on the hub q, and when the hub is thus freed the under side of the lever-arm T comes in contact with the adjacent side of the hole in the clamp-plate 1t, through which the lever-arm protrudes, so that the latter part of the movement of the lever-arm depresses the clamp to the lowest required position permitted by the rocking cam U.

The clamp-driver, consisting of the forked clamp and cam, may be used for imparting motion to other instrumentalities than the feedwheel of the sewing-machine by combining the forked clamp and cam with the hub of such instrumentality.

In order that the length of the feed may be readily adjusted, so as to vary the length of the stitch sewed, the rocking cam Uis made expansible. To this end the portion 1: which acts upon the pin of the lever-arm T of the feed is hinged to the remainder, so that its end may be set to protrude more or less from the axis of the rock-shaft P, on which the cam rocks asa center. The hinged portion, or expandin g toe, as it may be called, is pressed toward the axis of the rock-shaft by a spring, 20, and a screw, V, is screwed through the solid portion of the cam to force the cam-toe away from the axis of the rock-shaft.

When the screw has been moved until the periphery of the expanding toe o is concentric with the axis on which the cam rocks, no movement is imparted to the lever-arm T, and consequently the feed ceases; but if the screw be movedso as to permit the expanding toe to approach the axis of the shaft, the lever-arm T is moved by the cam in its rocking motion and feed takes place, the extent of movement and of feeding depending upon the position of the expanding toe as determined by the adj usting-screw V.

In order that the feedwheel may not retrofrom the bed-plate of the machine, and the face of the pawl which bears against the hub is slightly eccentric'to the axis of the notch, so that the movement of the'hub for feeding in the direction of the arrow or in Fig. 2 tends to relieve the pressure against the hub, while the movement of the hub in a contrary direction causes the pawl to gripeor jam the spring h, always holding the pawl in a proper position for that purpose; hence the pawl permits movement for feeding, but prevents motion in the opposite direction.

The machine is driven by means of abelt which encircles the pulley H secured to the re- "olvin g shaft F; and in order that the belt may drive the shaft even when somewhat slack, the belt-pulley is encircled with a jacket of vulcanized india-rubber, Z. This jacket consists of a plain ring, of smaller diameter than the pulley, so that when it is applied thereto by stretching it the contractile force causes it to adapt itself to the groove of the pulley and hold firmly thereto.

The bed-plate of the machine is applied to the table A of the treadle-motion or other support; and in order that the machine may be readily turned up for inspection, or adjustment, or oiling, the bed-plate is connected with such table by means of double-centered hinges, consisting of two fixed brackets, 13 B and a connecting-link, 0 One of the brackets B is secured to the bed-plate, and the other, E to the table A, and the link 0 is connected with the brackets by hinge-pivots a a. These double-centered hinges are arranged beneath the bed-plate A and in the opening of the table, and this arrangement is advantageous, because it enables the bed-plate to be moved laterally forward when it is turned up, as shown by the red lines in Fig. 10, and secured in an upright posit-ion by being inserted edgewise in notches at the sides of the opening,

which notches are concealed beneath the bedplate of the machine when it is in the position for sewing.

Having thus described a machine embody- 'ing all my improvements, I declare that I do not restrict my invention to such complete machine, as some of my improvements may be used without others, as found expedient, and are useful in machines of different form and construction from that described. Moreover, I do not limit my improvements to the particular forms of the members which compose them, as these forms may be changed. Thus, for example, a vibrating needle-carrier may be substituted for the sliding needle-bar I have described, and the form and arrangement of the spring of the expanding cam may be changed, as representedin Fig. 6.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are the following combinations of instrumentalities, viz:

1. The combination of the needle-carrier and needle-vise clamp, constructed substantially as'described, adjustable laterally to the track of the needle, as before set forth.

2. Also, the combination of the needle-carrier, laterally-adjustable needle -vise clamp, constructed substantially as described, and eye-guide, as before set forth.

3. Also, the combination of the turningwire thread-tension with a pressure-spring to hold the thread from slacking on said tension, substantially as before set forth.

4;. Also, the combination of the turningwire thread-tension and spring-bracket, constructed to operate substantially as before set forth.

5. Also, the combination of the forked clamp, eccentric, and lever-arm, so constructed as to both turn the eccentric and move the forked clamp, substantially as before set forth.

6. Also, the combination of the feeding-instrument, shaft, and expanding cam, arranged to vary the movement of the feeding-instrument, the whole being constructed to operate substantially as described.

7. Also, the combination of the bed-plate, stand, and double-centered hinges, arranged under the bed-plate in the opening of the stand, substantially as before set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand this 21st day of December, A. D. 1867.

' J. T. JONES. Witnesses:

, W. L. BENNEM,

J. RATHBONE, Jr. 

